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Education Financing
$
$
Part-time or work-study earnings
%
years
Career & Financial Assumptions
%
$
%
%
For opportunity cost calculation
Education Investment Analysis
Total Education Investment
$80,000
After scholarships & work income
Monthly loan payment:
$870
Total loan cost:
$104,400
Break-Even Time
7.2 years
After graduation to recoup investment
Break-even age:
29
Return on investment:
4.7x
Career Earnings
$60,000
Expected starting salary
10-year earnings:
$780,000
20-year earnings:
$1,860,000
Financial Projection
Scenario Comparison
Analysis Insights
Key Takeaways
- Based on your inputs, your degree will pay for itself in 7.2 years after graduation.
- Your total educational investment of $80,000 yields a 20-year return of 4.7x, which is considered good.
- Over a 40-year career, this education path is projected to generate $4.5 million in total earnings.
- Living expenses in your chosen location account for approximately 41% of your after-tax income in the first 5 years.
Recommendations
Consider Scholarships
Finding an additional $5,000/year in scholarships would reduce your break-even time by 1.8 years.
Salary Negotiation
Negotiating a 10% higher starting salary would improve your 10-year earnings by approximately $85,000.
Location Impact
While high-cost areas offer higher salaries, your current location choice provides the best balance of income to expenses.